One of the best ways your winery can directly connect and engage with customers is by building a high-quality wine subscription service. The value is limitless – not only is a wine subscription service a great source of consistent recurring revenue, it also deepens your brand’s roots, creates committed customer loyalty, and gives you great insights into your customers and audience.
However, in the wine industry, subscription services can feel like a dime a dozen. Nearly every winery has a subscription service of some kind, and your customers can’t subscribe to them all. You need a way for your winery to stand out from the competition – and in an ever-developing modern age, direct-to-consumer (DTC) solutions are the answer.
But what exactly are DTC solutions, and how can they elevate your wine subscription service?
Keep reading to discover how your winery can take its wine subscription service to new heights through DTC solutions that will enhance your customer relationships, streamline your systems, and help your subscription service thrive.
Elevating Your Wine Subscription Service Through DTC Solutions
It’s estimated that by 2027, 23% of retail purchases will be made online. Online sales are here to stay, which is why DTC solutions are so crucial for your winery – specifically, your wine subscription service.
But what are DTC solutions, anyway?
DTC strategy, or direct-to-consumer strategy, refers to a sales strategy that connects directly from a brand to the consumer. There’s no middleman or in-person retailer connecting a brand with its customers – DTC sales are straightforward and personal.
That’s why DTC tools are so valuable for wineries trying to reach new customers for their wine club – the goal is to directly connect with the customer on a personal level. In the age of modern technology, that looks like utilizing social media, email marketing, and other personalized techniques to build a relationship with customers and reach them authentically.
When you utilize DTC solutions for a great wine club experience, your customers will feel connected to your brand in a whole new way. Instead of feeling that they’re being sold to, they’ll feel that you’re building a relationship – and that’s exactly what will keep your members coming back (and bringing their friends!).
Why Your Wine Subscription Service Needs DTC Support
You want to reach the wine lovers in your community and curate a subscription service that people are excited to join. But how do you develop and build a wine club that continues to steadily grow with each passing year?
DTC solutions are the best way to enhance your wine shop’s subscription service. Here are just a few of the reasons we proudly recommend them to any winery ready to explore the best ways to help their club expand:
Enhance Customer Relationships
One of the biggest reasons DTC marketing works is because it’s personal. In reaching your customers directly, you have greater influence in their lives – you’re not just a wine bottle on the shelf, you’re a presence in their inbox and social media feeds. You’re able to share the heart behind what you do, whether that’s highlighting your passion for biodynamic wines or sharing the story of vineyards that have been in your family for generations.
You’re also able to target your customers in a unique way through funnels and segments. You can send an email to customers who love specific varietals of red wine or who have attended your wine tastings before, or you can create a social media ad for users in your ideal age range.
By adding these personalized methods to your marketing, you’re not only able to better reach the wine lovers in your community, but you’re able to deepen your current customer relationships, giving them even more reason to be invested in your wine club.
Streamline Your Systems
Another major benefit of DTC solutions? They allow you to streamline your backend systems, making your wine subscription service instantly run smoother and more effectively.
Your wine club will only have a great experience if their wine is shipped to them quickly and efficiently with no hiccups. No free shipping offer will make up for inefficient customer service or pesky delays!
DTC fulfillment solutions help to reduce errors and meet modern delivery expectations with ease. Own every aspect of the shipping process, ensuring your customers receive their wine in just a few days – in a beautifully branded box that reminds them why they love being a member of your wine club so much. Integrate with your wine inventory software for easy, streamlined solutions.
Stay Better Organized
DTC solutions are great for driving revenue to your winery – but they also are key to helping you stay organized in the digital age.
In trying to manage your winery solo, you’ll quickly become overwhelmed by everything there is to keep track of, eventually burning out. But with a great winery software that prioritizes DTC results, you’ll have access to tools at your fingertips that keep you on track and moving forward.
We recommend choosing a platform with DTC solutions that knows its strengths and knows where to outsource. The right software won’t do everything for you – but it will come complete with integrations that do.
How DTC Solutions Can Grow Your Wine Subscription Service
DTC solutions are one of the most efficient ways you can grow your wine club subscription service. Your club offers fantastic benefits – access to new wines, exclusive tasting experiences, and maybe even free shipping – but you have to develop the relationships to bring in customers and keep them subscribed.
Marketing and Maintenance
If you want to connect with your audience, DTC marketing is the way to go. Email marketing continues to be the most powerful way to develop a presence with consumers, with social media following close behind. Utilize both well to stand out from other clubs!
Personalize your marketing efforts through email segments to reach specific groups of customers, and craft marketing materials that share valuable insights while also tying back to your subscription service. For example, share a few of your favorite wine and food pairings from your wine expert sommelier, then encourage customers to join your wine club to get a bottle of your best Chardonnay mailed to their door next month. Or share great gift ideas for wine lovers this holiday season while chatting about the best gift of all – a subscription to your winery’s club.
You can also easily adjust customer lists and segments within your email marketing service to stay on top of customers’ new favorites. Check in with your email list once a quarter and make adjustments based off purchase history – you’ll discover new, specific ways to market to your guests and increase your chances of them joining your subscription service.
Integrations
A great winery software gives you access to a wide variety of integrations that support your DTC efforts. From email and text marketing to design, shipping to fulfillment, you deserve a software that knows what you need – and works to help you achieve it.
At OrderPort, we’re proud to offer integrations with tools like Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Redchirp, and more to support every aspect of your DTC efforts.
FAQs: Expand Your Wine Subscription Service
Still unsure of the best path forward as you work to create the best wine subscription service around? Here are a few of our most frequently asked questions from wineries seeking to build a great wine club.
Why are DTC solutions effective?
DTC solutions are effective because they reach the consumer directly. There’s nothing in between you and your customer, leaving room for endless connection and greater depth of customer loyalty.
Why should my winery have a wine subscription service?
A wine subscription service is a fantastic way to build consistent revenue from month to month. It’s also one of the best ways to deepen customer relationships through engaging, personalized communication and offers. Whether your wine club sends members one bottle of wine or three bottles of wine each month, you can cultivate relationships that last. Take the time to share each wine’s tasting notes, offer pairing suggestions that draw customers to your in-house tastings, or share the history of the grapes behind each bottle.
Does DTC fulfillment offer temperature-controlled shipping?
Yes! To learn more, connect directly with your fulfillment center.
Watch Your Winery’s Subscription Service Thrive With OrderPort
At OrderPort, we know how important your winery’s subscription service is – which is why we’re dedicated to helping you curate a club experience that you’re proud of.
Our wine club subscription service gives you access to great club tools that will enable you to deliver the best value to your customers. If you’ve been looking for more ways to grow your membership and overall club value, we’re here to partner with you and help your club reach – and exceed – its full potential.
Ready to learn more about how our world-class DTC software solutions can help you develop and scale your wine club? Contact us to begin your OrderPort demo today.
